The Cowboy’s Secret Baby

Read the Excerpt

“You’re a good guy, Dallas Maguire.” She sighed. “If I wasn’t the newly divorced
mother of three rambunctious kids, things might be very different.” That was the most
encouraging thing she’d ever said to him.

“Even if you are, Lizzie, things can change.”

She smiled. “And if you keep calling me Lizzie, I just might get used to it.”

He shouldn’t say this either but, “Maybe you’ve been Elizabeth—all buttoned up—
long enough. Not my decision to make, though.” And he had to be honest with her. “I’m
still planning to ride out of town. Back to the rodeo circuit.”

“And I’m staying here.” Their gazes held, and his pulse did another dance. God,
she was pretty, even with her hair a mess, her eyes teary… But it wasn’t only how she
looked that drew him. He liked the person she was inside, even that starchy part. Maybe
especially that side of her. “Dallas…”

She’d made herself clear. He wrapped his arms around her anyway, rested his
forehead against hers and inhaled her sweetness before he drew back to gauge her
expression. Still dewy, still…warm. And he ignored the voice within that told him to back
off. Dallas didn’t listen, and in that moment he didn’t care. He didn’t just like Lizzie
Barnes. And never mind what she’d said. From the way she’d looked at him he wondered
if she felt the same way. Which could be bad news for them both.

“What are we going to do about this?” he asked.

Easing from his embrace, Lizzie gave him a sad smile. “I guess we stop right
where we are.” She added, “And remember we’re not alone. Seth’s a sleepwalker, and
Stella is my self-appointed protector. I’m not a free agent, Dallas.”

He didn’t hear another word she said. He no longer wanted to simply spend time
with her this summer, to be friends or business partners as well as neighbors until he had
to leave. Despite his promise to himself to avoid any serious relationship for now, and his
vow never to hurt her, he already wanted something more.